Candida auris, Deadly Fungus, Spreading Rapidly in US and 40 Other Countries, Know All About the Fungal Infection With Mortality Rate Up to 60%
As per the health advisory, the deadly fungus poses risk to older people and those who have a compromised or weak immune system. In simple terms, Candida auris is understood to be a species of fungus that grows as yeast
Mumbai, March 21: The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in a recent report said that that a deadly fungus called "Candida Auris" is rapidly spreading across the whole of the United States. The WSJ in its reports quoted federal researchers as the drug-resistant and potentially deadly fungus spreads across the US.
According to a report in Bloomberg, Candida Auris saw a sharp rise across the United States in cases during the COVID-19 pandemic period, however, it is off recently that most of the states have started reporting cases. Cases of Candida auris, which was discovered nearly 15 years ago in Japan have seen a rise in the number of cases in the last few years. Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Deadly Fungus Candida Auris.
CDC and WHO Label Candida Auris as a Growing Threat
The Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) have labeled the spread of the deadly fungus as a growing threat as Candida auris continues to grow rapidly across the US and 40 other countries. As per the WSJ reports, Candida auris infected 2,377 people in 2022 when compared to 53 cases in 2016, reports NDTV.
As per CDC data, the deadly fungus infected 1,471 people in 2021. The CDC also said that cases of Candida auris infections have grown from a few dozen to more than 2,000 annually in the last few years. The CDC has also issued a warning about the spread of the deadly fungus in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Candida Auris Has Mortality Rate of Up to 60 Percent
The Centres for Disease Control also issued a health advisory and said that Candida auris has a mortality rate of up to 60 percent. As per the health advisory, the deadly fungus poses risk to older people and those who have a compromised or weak immune system. In simple terms, Candida auris is understood to be a species of fungus that grows as yeast. As per health experts, the deadly fungus is said to be one of the few species of the genus Candida which causes candidiasis in humans. What Is Adenovirus? Seven Children Die of Respiratory Infection in West Bengal; Know Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Preventive Measures of Flu-Like Illness.
The CDC also said that Candida auris fungus is resistant to numerous antifungal drugs which are used to treat Candida infections. The deadly fungus is said to be found on the skin of humans and throughout their bodies. However, the candida auris does not pose any threat to healthy people. It is said to spread through person-to-person contact in hospitals and nursing homes. Besides, Candida auris also spreads after coming in contact with contaminated surfaces and equipment. The CDC said that the deadly fungus lives on surfaces for several weeks.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 21, 2023 02:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).